Roast chicken with mushrooms and bacon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Remove the wishbone from the chicken breast and loosen the skin from the meat to make a pocket. Rub the butter between the skin and flesh and season the chicken with salt and milled pepper.

2. Heat the remaining butter in a sturdy roasting tin along with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the tin over a moderate heat and sear the chicken on all sides. Turn the chicken so it is breast-side up, and scatter over the garlic cloves.

3. Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 30 minutes, basting frequently with the buttery juices.

4. Reduce the heat to 160C/gas 2, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes - or until the juices run clear from the chicken when pierced with a knife.

5. Remove from the oven, turn chicken so its breast faces downwards, and cover loosely with foil. Reserve the garlic, and leave the chicken to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.

6. Bring a pan of water to the boil and plunge the bacon rashers in and cook for 2-3 minutes before draining - reserve the cooking liquid. Cut the blanched bacon into lardons

7. Simmer the whole shallots in the same liquid as you cooked the bacon. Cook until tender before tipping the shallots into a colander and leaving to drain.

8. For the creamy mushrooms, heat a frying pan with the olive oil and add the mushrooms. Fry for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the bacon, followed by the onions and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes, until the bacon is lightly coloured.

9. Pick the thyme leaves from its stalk and add to mushrooms, bacon and onions. Stir in the cooked garlic cloves from the roasting tray.

10. Pour in the double cream while still on the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Sharpen with lemon juice and keep the sauce warm.

11 Carve the chicken breasts into thick slices and accompany with the creamy mushroom and bacon mixture.

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Ingredients

1 x 500g corn-fed chicken crown, two roasted chicken breasts on the bone
25g unsalted Butter
1 tsp salt and pepper

For the bacon mixture

25g Butter
1 tbsp Olive oil
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 thick slices smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, about 100g
10 small Shallots

For the creamy mushrooms

2 tbsp Olive oil
200g wild or button Mushrooms
1 sprig Thyme
200ml double cream
lemon juice, to sharpen

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